Channel 4 News tonight reveals extraordinary details
of George Bush and Tony Blair's pre-war meeting in January 2003 at which
they discussed plans to begin military action on March 10th 2003, irrespective
of whether the United Nations had passed a new resolution authorising the
use of force.

Channel 4 News has seen minutes from that meeting,
which took place in the White House on 31 January 2003. The two leaders
discussed the possibility of securing further UN support, but President
Bush made it clear that he had already decided to go to war. The details
are contained in a new version of the book 'Lawless World' written by a
leading British human rights lawyer, Philippe Sands QC.

President Bush said that:

"The US would put its full weight behind efforts
to get another resolution and would 'twist arms' and 'even threaten'. But
he had to say that if ultimately we failed, military action would follow
anyway.''

Prime Minister Blair responded that he was: "solidly
with the President and ready to do whatever it took to disarm Saddam."

But Mr Blair said that: "a second Security Council
resolution would provide an insurance policy against the unexpected, and
international cover, including with the Arabs."

Mr Sands' book says that the meeting focused on the
need to identify evidence that Saddam had committed a material breach of
his obligations under the existing UN Resolution 1441. There was concern
that insufficient evidence had been unearthed by the UN inspection team,
led by Dr Hans Blix. Other options were considered.

President Bush said: "The US was thinking of flying
U2 reconnaissance aircraft with fighter cover over Iraq, painted in UN colours.
If Saddam fired on them, he would be in breach."

He went on: "It was also possible that a defector
could be brought out who would give a public presentation about Saddams
WMD, and there was also a small possibility that Saddam would be assassinated."

Speaking to Channel 4 News, Mr Sands said:

"I think no one would be surprised at the idea
that the use of spy-planes to review what is going on would be considered.
What is surprising is the idea that they would be used painted in the colours
of the United Nations in order to provoke an attack which could then be
used to justify material breach. Now that plainly looks as if it is deception,
and it raises some fundamental questions of legality, both in terms of domestic
law and international law."

Also present at the meeting were President Bush's National
Security Adviser, Condoleeza Rice and her deputy Dan Fried, and the Presidents
Chief of Staff, Andrew Card. The Prime Minister took with him his then security
adviser Sir David Manning, his Foreign Policy aide Matthew Rycroft, and
and his chief of staff, Jonathan Powell.

Those present, as documented in Mr Sands' book, also
discussed what might happen in Iraq after liberation.

President Bush said that he: "thought it unlikely
that there would be internecine warfare between the different religious
and ethnic groups."

Mr Blair did not respond.

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